open data

This week learn about open data models, the way that mobile data is driving development and how data has aided IT's paradigm shift. The concept of "effective altruism" is explained and big data perils discussed.

In this week's data digest the state of Open Data worldwide is assessed and open data support centre launch globally. The economic potential for open data is also reviewed along with its importance for development processes

This week learn about how data analytics can increase the effectiveness of philanthropy, big and open data business models, a combined big data definition and what open data users can learn from content "pirates".

This week some paradoxes of big data and principles for Big Data Resilience projects are featured. StatAfrica is also launched and assumptions about data's prospects are reviewed. Difficulties underlying the use of open data are also surfaced.

Last week I attended a conference "Can Open Data Improve Democratic Governance" held in Berkeley, California. As part of its Data and Democracy initiative, The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) convened representatives from the public sector, tech industry, and NGOs to discuss the many issues surrounding open data.

This week read about a new collaborative open data initiative for developing countries, the importance of data literacy and open data projects in China. There is also news on the potential for those with little data footprint to be excluded from Big Data informed decisions. The necessity of understanding the value you want from Big Data before embarking on Big Data projects is also emphasised.

Big data is still one of those concepts that baffle me. How big does the data have to be? Where does it come from? And how can nonprofits and public libraries actually make use of it? At SOCAP13, a social enterprise conference in San Francisco, I attended two back-to-back panel presentations on big data with some nonprofit representation. Hearing directly from those working in big data for good gave some context around what's actually happening. Still, though, I had some questions around the definition of big data — and it seemed like the presenters did too.

This week learn about some cool data tools and find out about “big little data”. The EC is also asking for feedback on their Public Sector Information Directive and a short but great interview about Millennials & Data is featured.